GE recalls dishwashers due to fire hazard

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- Manufacturer GE is voluntarily recalling about 1.3 million dishwashers due to a fire hazard, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday.

An electrical failure in the dishwasher's heating element can pose a fire hazard, the CPSC said in a release.

The product names are GE, GE Adora, GE Eterna, GE Profile and Hotpoint. All were manufactured by GE Appliances in Louisville, Ky.

GE said it received 15 reports of dishwasher heating element failures, including seven reports fires. No injuries have been reported.

The affected GE brands are model numbers beginning with GLC4, GLD4, GLD5, GLD6, GSD61, GSD62, GSD63, GSD66, GSD67, GSD69, GLDL,PDW7, PDWF7, EDW4, EDW5, EDW6,GHD4, GHD5, GHD6, GHDA4 and GHDA6. The Hotpoint model under recall begins with the number HLD4. The serial numbers begin with FL, GL, HL, LL, ML, VL, ZL, AM, DM, FM, GM, HM, LM, MM, RM, SM, TM, VM, ZM, AR, DR, FR and GR.

The dishwashers were sold in the United States from March 2006 through August 2009 for between $350 and $850.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dishwashers, unplug it and tell all users about the fire risk.

For all dishwashers, contact GE for a free in-home repair or to receive a GE rebate of $75 toward the purchase of a new GE front-control plastic tub dishwasher, or a rebate of $100 toward the purchase of a new GE front-control stainless tub dishwasher or GE Profile top control dishwasher.

For additional information, contact GE, toll-free, at 866-918-8760 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. EDT Monday through Friday, or visit the company's Web site at www.geappliances.com/recall.